20/20 for Community Journalists

Looking for a quick intro to some journalism basics? Each of these 20 mini-lessons will take no more than 20 minutes.

1. In focus: What is the story?
2. Beginning, middle, end: Organizing the story
3. Keep it moving: Active writing
4. Best phrase forward: Digging out the buried lead
5. Fact checking: names, numbers, and more
6. Attention-grabbing headlines
7. Interviews, quotations and paraphrases
8. “Show me your story”: relations with sources
9. Getting the facts, getting the quotes: Interview skills
10. Both sides now: When and how to call “the other side”
11. Putting yourself in the story—or not: What voice is appropriate and when?
12. He said/she said: Taking sides on truth
13. Where you are coming from: Transparency and conflict of interest
14. Adding value: Links and sidebars
15. Worth a thousand words: good photo, bad photo, framing, etiquette, permissions
16. Don’t use my name: Anonymous sources
17. Beyond the story: Interactivity for readers
18. Tell your mother: Publicizing the story to sources, subjects, friends and fans
19. After words: Responding to complaints, comments
20. IMHO: op/eds, voices, comments, letters to the editor, blogs

20/20 for Community Journalists ©2008-2014 Mary Turck